Toll counter or register for telephonic circuits



N0. 6I9,240. Patented Feb. 7, I899. G. K. THOMPSON.

TOLL COUNTER OR REGISTER FOR TELEPHONIC CIRCUITS.

(Application filed June 21, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE K. THOMPSON, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICANBELL TELEPHONE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TOLL COUNTER OR REGISTER FOR TELEPHONIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,240, dated February7, 1899. Application filed June 21, 1898. Serial No. 684,090. (Nomodel.) I

they terminate, and more particularly to that class of devices whichregister all of the calls made from a substation to the central station.

The invention is described in connection with the form ofcentral-station switching apparatus known as the relay-switchboard, atwhich the substation-circuits are connected with a commonsignaling-battery, each circuit being provided with a line-signal in alocal circuit adapted to be displayed when the substation telephone isremoved from its hook-switch and also with a switching-relay adapted toopen the main circuit and withdraw the line-signal when the operatorsanswering-plu g is inserted in the jack of the line- Y circuit.

The improved registering device consists of two independentelectromagnets each provided with an armature, one adapted to ro tatethe registering mechanism, while the function of the second armature isto hold the first armature and the said mechanism normally locked andunder appropriate conditions to unlock the same to permit theregistration to take place. The first electromagnet is connected inparallel with the localcircuit line-signal and in a branch of the saidcircuit and becomes energized and unlocks the armature of the secondelectromagnet when the said circuit is closed by the act of the callingsubscriber in removing his telephone from its hook-switch, and thesecond electromagnet is in the circuit of the testconductor or a branchthereof and becomes energized and actuates the counting mechanism whenthe answering-plug is inserted in the jack of the calling-line. Thus tocause the device to register one unit two movements are required, one bythe calling substation and the second by the answering operator.

In the operation of the invention when a subscriber calls the linesignal circuit is closed, the signal displayed, and the armature of thelocking-electromagnet attracted to its pole, thus unlocking the countingmechanism, and when the answering-plug is inserted in the line-jack thearmature of the second electromagnet is attracted to its pole, and inmoving thereto advances a ratchetwheel, with which a pawl carried by itengages, and causes the device to register one unit. Now when the plugis inserted in the jack the switching-relay is operated and thecalling-battery, signal, and the first electromagnet cut off, so thatthe armature of the latter tends to fall away, lock the armature of thesecond electromagnet, (were there no provision to forestall suchaction,) and prevent it from actuating the ratchet-wheel. To preventthis falling away of the locking-armature, its electromagnet is mademore sluggish than the registering-electromagnet, and the pole of thelatter electromagnet is provided with a prolongation extending towardthe vicinity of the locking-armature in its at tracted position, and asthe locking-electromagnet is demagnetized simultaneously with themagnetization of the registering-electromagnet when the answering-plugis inserted in the line-jack the locking-armature is held attracted tothe said prolongation of the registering-armature and does not fall offand lock the latter armature.

The invention relates also to matters of detail which will be amplifiedin the following description.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top view of the registering device. Fig. 2is a side view. Fig. 3 is a front end view. Fig. 4 is an opposite sideView, and Figs. 5 and 6 are sections on line y 3 looking in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a diagram of a substationrelay-circuit and of the registering device to show the operation of thesame.

Referring to the drawings, F represents the registering device as awhole, and it consists of the electromagnets Aand B, each secured toiron bars 'm by the screws j, extending from the cores upon which arefitted the nuts k. The bars 4% extend beyond the opposite ends of theelectromagnets A B and are secured to the square brass plate 'n, inwhich the prolonged poles of the electromagnets rest.

The armature a of the electromagnet A is in the shape of a curved armand is pivoted between the plate and the brace q, which is secured tothe end of the bar m, being, moreover, so hung as to fall away from thepole of the electromagnet by gravity and bearing upon the side of itsouter end a locking-pin g. The electromagnet A and its armature aconstitute the locking feature of the device.

The armature b of the electromagnet B is pivoted below the bar m betweenthe plate at and the brace 1", which is secured to the end of the saidbar. the said electromagnet, and its free end is formed into anescapement or pawl for the ratchet-wheel t. A soft-iron prolongation fextends from the side of the pole of the electromagnet B toward the endof the armature a.

Fig. shows the normal position of the armatures a and b fallen away fromthe cores of their electromagnets, the pin 9 of the former armatureresting against the straight side of the latter armature and looking itor preventing it from engaging the ratchet-wheel t. The armature b has aweight w at its end to give it sufficient inertia to actuate the ratchetwhen it falls away by gravity.

His the counting or registering mechanism, consisting of the squarebrass plates 0 and p, secured tojeach other by the pillars i i, one ateach corner. Several spindles extend between the two plates, carryingpinions and spur-wheels which mesh with one another, one of saidspindles extending through the plates 0 and nand bearing on its end theratchet-wheel t, and four of said spindles ex tend through the center offour dials upon the face of the front plate 19 and are provided on theirends with rotating pointers.

Fig. 7 illustrates the operation of the registerin g device with arelay-circuit L extending from a substation X to a central station Z. 1and 2 are the conductors connecting with armatures e e of theswitching-relay N, which normally rest upon their back contacts 12. 14is a wire connecting the contacts 12 12 and including in circuit relay 0and battery P and is provided with a grounded branch 22. 18 is a localcircuit connecting contact 15 with wire 14 at point 25 and including incircuit the line lamp-signal D. A wire 16 connects armature 23 with wire14: at point 24. 5 is a test-wire connecting with the test-rings 10ineach jack and extending to ground through the relay N. The electromagnetA of the registering device is connected in parallel with'the locallamp-circuit 18, and the Wire 19 extends from one coil-terminal to thepoint 17 on the Wire 18 and from the other by the wire 20 to the wire 18at the point 21. P represents the answering-plug. of a cord-circuit,from whose test-ring contact extends the grounded wire 27, whichincludes the battery as. The electromagnet B is shown as included in theground- It bends around the core ofed wire 11, which is connected to thetest-wire 5, but may be in series with said test-wire. The registermechanism H is not shown in this. diagram, but its operation will bereadily understood from the other figures. When a subscriber removes thetelephone from the hookswitch 3 to make a call, the latter risesautomatically and closes a low-resistance bridge 3 around the bell R,the relay 0 becomes magnetized, and its armature is attracted and closesthe local circuit 18, thereby lighting the line lamp-signal D as currentcirculates therein from the battery P all in a manner well understood-At. the same time the local circuit 18 is closed the electromagnet A inthe parallel circuit becomes magnetized and attracts the armature a,thereby unlocking the armature b of the electromagnet B. The operator toanswer the call inserts the answering-plugP in the jack J ,and currentfrom battery as circulates through relay N and causes its armature e eto be attracted to the cores of the relay N, thereby opening thelinecircuit and demagnetizing the relay 0 and extinguishing the signal Din a manner well known in the art. At the same time, however, theelectromagnet A loses its magnetism and ceases to attract its armature.Ourrent from battery as also flows from the testconductor 5 into thebranch 11 to ground and energizes the electromagnet B, causing itsarmature to be attracted and to rotatethe ratchet-wheel one tooth andthe lower left hand pointer one space or unit. As the electromagnet B ismagnetized by current from battery 00 at the same time that the sluggishelectromagnet A is demagnetized by reason of the battery P being cutoff, the armature ahas not time to fall away and lock the armature bbefore it is attracted by the prolongation f of the pole B and retainedin itsupward position. Therefore the said armature 1) makes its fullmovement and operates the registering mechanism.

Having explained my invention, I claim 1. In atelephone-callsignal-registering apparatus, the combination of two electromagnets oneof which is provided with an armature carrying or adapted to operate apawl or escapement, the second being relatively sluggish in operationand having an armature adapted tolock the first armature While botharmatures are in their unattracted position; with a counting mechanismprovided with a ratchet-wheel arranged to be rotated by said pawl orescapement, and one or more dials with pointers impelled by the saidratchet Wheel, as set forth.

2. In a registering apparatus the combination of two straightelectromagnets one'being relatively sluggish in operation both havingarmatures pivoted to swing at a right angle to the poles thereof and tohang away there from by gravity, the one havinga projection adapted tolie in the path of the second and lock the same when so retracted andthe lat ter terminating in a pawl or escapement; with a countermechanism provided with a ratchetwheel, as set forth.

3. The combination of a telephone-substation relay-circuit; with acall-registering apparatus, consisting of two electromagnets, the firstof which is in the circuit of the test-conductor or a branch thereof ofsaid circuit, and the second being in a normally open local circuit ofthe said relay-circuit, the armature of the first electromagnet adaptedto operate a pawl or escapement, and the armature of the secondelectromagmet operating to lock the said first armature when both arennattracted, and a counter provided with a ratchet-wheel adapted to beoperated by said pawl or escape- GEORGE K. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

GEO. WILLIS PIERCE, J osEPH A. GATELY.

